Love for his dogs stood closer to him than many people. The last words spoken by Santos Conrado are remembered by neighbors, followed by a brutal act that shocked a small community. The man who would be blamed for the violence, Javier R. E., a fifty-eight-year-old resident who shared the home with Conrado in La Felguera, Asturias, had a history that drew the attention of local authorities. What began as a heated dispute over money and drugs escalated into a fatal confrontation inside the two men’s home at number 30 on Joaquín Costa street. The confession would come later with a brutal, calculated outcome: Conrado was stabbed, and his body was subsequently dismembered. The crime left the Nalón Valley in disbelief at the violence that erupted between two people who had fallen into a pattern of tension and dependency.
In the Langreño neighborhood of El Villar, tensions between the two roommates intensified. Conrado’s two border collies were central to the story, as their care and presence had once been a routine source of joy. Their owner’s deep attachment to his companions worried neighbors when they noticed Conrado no longer walking the dogs as routinely as before. The dogs, unintentionally involved in the sequence of events, ultimately became a tragic, silent backdrop to the events that unfolded.
After his release from prison, Conrado had required an oxygen device to assist his mobility, a burden he carried with the help of a wheeled cart. The man who would stand accused of the crime also faced mobility challenges, relying on crutches after a fall that left him with a fractured tibia and fibula. He claimed that infections linked to the dogs limited his recovery and fed ongoing disputes with Conrado about life in the house. On the day of the crime, the two men argued anew when the accused was refused drugs, and Conrado reportedly told him that he cared for his dogs more than for him. The altercation grew heated, and in the heat of the moment, Javier R. E. stabbed Conrado with a knife. The body was dismembered and distributed in bags around the vicinity of the home both shared with the victim and the accused.
The suspect was detained by police within hours of the first discovery of a bag containing human remains. In Langreo’s district court, he was ordered to be held in provisional custody while investigators pursued the case. The proceedings were framed as a potential homicide, with the possibility of charges expanding if aggravating factors emerged as the investigation progressed.
Defense counsel for the accused, Rubén Díaz, described his client as calm, aware of what occurred, and capable of understanding the consequences. The lawyer emphasized the difficult environment in which Javier R. E. lived, including a long history of drug use, and suggested that the defendant perceived events through a personal lens that could differ from typical interpretations. The defense noted that the statement given by the client reflected what he could recall and convey, without embellishment, while acknowledging that additional questions and evidence remained to be resolved.
Following the confession, the presiding judge issued an order for provisional detention without bail for Javier R. E. The case file continues to evolve as the authorities assess the full scope of the offenses, with the legal team keeping in mind potential charges that could shift based on how the facts are developed and proven. The prosecution had previously argued that there were sufficient indications of the suspect’s involvement, including the confession itself and concerns about potential flight risk given the penalties that could apply if convicted.
The community continues to process the impact of the incident, reflecting on how addiction, housing pressures, and strained relationships can culminate in irrevocable acts. As the case proceeds through the judicial process, local observers await further factual findings and expert analyses that may cast new light on the sequence of events that began with a dispute and ended with a chilling crime.